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SEA ISLE CITY MAYOR’S MESSAGE

The 2010 Visitors Guide is available on the City’s website, as well as in print. The guide contains events and programs scheduled throughout the year.  It will be mailed to all property owners in March and is distributed throughout the Tri-State area. 

On the evening of Tuesday, February 16, a Youth Forum was held in Council Chambers allowing the public to present ideas and opinions for new City programs.  The meeting was facilitated by the Mayor in cooperation with the City’s Recreation Commission and Community Services Department.  As a result of the meeting, the Community Services Department has begun to analyze and assess the requests of the residents.  New programs are being created based on these needs and the feasibility for implementation.  Aspects for consideration are program placement, budget impact, and in-house expansion of hours of operation.

Stemming from the forum, a meeting took place between the Mayor, Business Administrator, Community Services Department staff/personnel, the Superintendent and Administrator of the public school, and members of the Board of Education. The discussion included utilization of the school for the conceived programs.  The meeting ended positively, with an agreement from the school administration to allow community use of the school Monday-Friday, from 3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  This will allow the school building to potentially be the host location for new programs that will be administered by the City’s Community Services Department.  

CITY PROJECT NEWS

The Sea Isle City Beach Patrol Headquarters is scheduled for completion prior to the Memorial Day weekend.  The new two-story building will have a 2,306 square-foot first floor, with a First Aid Station, newly designed public restrooms, and beach wheel chair rentals. The second floor will be a combination of conference rooms and offices in a 1,670 square-foot space.

Veterans Memorial Park construction began on Wednesday, January 13, with an expected completion date in mid-May. The new park will feature a remodeled memorial, elevation of the original fountain, and the addition of a six-columned circular colonnade, flagpoles, and an eternal flame sculpture.  The site will be restructured with new landscaping, sidewalks, sidewalk benches, curbs, street lamps where necessary, public restrooms, and three stepped levels of high wall seating for events.

The South End Beach Fill Project, a joint effort with Avalon, is expected to begin in May and be completed by the end of June.  The contract is scheduled to be awarded to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock of Oak Brooke, IL following a special council meeting on Tuesday, March 2.  Sand will be placed on the City’s beaches from 73^rd to 94^th Streets, restoring these strands that have suffered the brunt of several severe fall and winter storms.

City Marina Site Project – The City received and opened seven bids on Friday, February 5, and awarded the contract for the Marina Site Project to LEXA Construction, LLC from Vineland, NJ on Tuesday, February 9, in the amount of $643,621.84.  This project will provide extensive landscaping, additional parking, road improvements, and an expanded area for children’s amusements.  The required completion date for the entire site project is Wednesday, June 30.

Gillian’s Funland is expanding the amusement park, and work is already underway for installation of the exciting “Galleon” ride, which will face visitors as they enter the park from the east end.

INITIATIVES

City efforts continue towards acceptance into the National Flood Insurance Community Rating System (CRS) program. The City will host a public forum on Saturday, March 27, at 10:00 a.m. in the Community Lodge to educate and inform residents on how to best be prepared for flooding situations.

Go Green initiatives are continuing to be a major priority for the City.  An educational campaign is currently being developed to encourage all residents and visitors to conserve water.  More details will follow in future News Briefs.  Information is available on the City website under the Government page, in the Public Works/Water and Sewer section.  

NOTEWORTHY

Polar Bear Plunge Weekend attracted over 15,000 people.  Visitors were able to enjoy plunge events along with the many available amenities in town as businesses and restaurants reopened for the weekend.  The Polar Bear King and Queen are Frank Reed and Trudy Craney for a second year, and there were 1,160 registered polar bears for the plunge. The Vendor and Food Market was a success and the Run/Walk for Autism doubled in the amount of participants from 2009.

The City’s updated Website was launched on Saturday, February 6. Additional features were added to better and more easily inform residents and visitors about current City news and projects.

Sea Isle City Blacktop Promanade

Posted by the Asbury Park Press

By Erik Larsen

The Great Atlantic Storm, a nor’easter notorious for all but leveling Long Beach Island when it barreled across the Shore in March 1962, grabbed the boardwalk and pulled it into the sea.

After that, Sea Isle City officials decided it would be more economical, assuming that future storms would come, to replace its boardwalk with a blacktop promenade that could not be pulled out to sea. It was a page right out of the playbook of the “Three Little Pigs.”

Today, this 2.5-square-mile town with its 1 1/2-mile-long promenade is changing like so many other municipalities up and down the Jersey Shore. There are still lots of shops and tourist traps, but the amusements are gone.

Police cars drive up and down the promenade, keeping guard over the peace.

This is a subdued oceanfront, lined with park benches that are dedicated to and from the ghosts of tourists past. To people like “Mom — Sandy Wright Cartledge, the Peace of the Shore,” or “She Made It To The Beach, 1935 Dee Murray 1999,” or “Pegg Horan, She Loved Sea Isle City.”

For some, the peace and quiet is about right.

“I like Sea Isle in particular. It isn’t fancy, it’s not crazy, it’s not crowded,” said Kimberly Muirrhead, 35, of Pittsburgh, Pa., who was visiting with her three children.

It’s quiet, and the only noise is the sound of the pounding surf against the beach through the trees and shrubs that have grown up between the promenade and the beachfront.

In a sense, there is no boardwalk here. But people like it because they don’t have rides and the noise, it’s more residential, the clubs and attractions have been ripped down, replaced with homes.

“This is an island that is changing to all residential,” said John Petrowsky, 69, of Cherry Hill. “It’s going to become like Spring Lake.”

The stores and shops are built into the ground floor of 10-story high-rises.

Sea Isle City is known for its bars, said Rob Tigro, 22, a resident who works in a shop under one of the high-rises that sells nautical-themed gifts and souvenirs, called Seassom’s Nautical Gifts.

“It (Sea Isle City) used to be known for its rides,” Tigro said.

But the view is immaculate, that’s what matters.
Published: February 13. 2010 4:10AM

Save Lucy Committee Executive Director Rich Helfant says the area's most famous pachyderm needs $10,000 to fix a seven-year-old climate control system, the breakdown of which canceled the annual Valentine's Day dinner. Photo by: Edward Lea

By DEREK HARPER Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, January 29, 2010 |

MARGATE –  It’s a tough environment for an elephant. Even a wooden one. Well, especially a wooden one that’s 127-years-old. Just ask Rich Helfant, the executive director, CEO and all-around keeper of Lucy.

The outsized pachyderm by the sea, closed for the season, is suffering a host of problems that the Save Lucy Committee is attempting to patch and repair before the summertime crowds come back to her howdah, the seat strapped atop her. In all, he said, it will cost about $50,000 to fix the problems.

But at the same time, the nonprofit that maintains the national monument faces some of the same problems others have with tighter money.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported last year that the recession has meant that charities lost a collective $46.6 billion since 2007. It also reported that a survey last month found that one-third expected 2009’s donations to be at least 10 percent less than the previous year.

The tax returns of the Save Lucy Committee show it received $57,329 in contributions and grants in 2008, 13 percent less than the $65,951 it received in 2004.

And while the attraction is at no risk of closing, the returns show the committee’s total assets have shrunk by 34.5 percent, from $134,069 in 2004 to $87,791 in 2008.

This comes even as the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority has prominently displayed Lucy in marketing materials and committee members have traveled to conventions and other events to promote it and buy different elephant-themed items.

“We do a lot of things to market Lucy,” said Scott R. Blackman, a previous president of Save Lucy.

The problems started in the summer, Helfant said. The roof on the elephant’s howdah began to leak. The roof was only four years old, but it was never designed for the wear inflicted by the 33,000 people who last year climbed up through the tight stairways to stand on her back and take in the view. The stainless steel plates will have to be replaced and covered with protective rubber, at a cost of $15,000.

Things got worse after a Sept. 9 wedding. A tent was erected, and Helfant said they figured they would keep it up for an event just three days later.

A freakish storm Sept. 11 uprooted the tent and thrashed the backside of the defenseless elephant, denting and scraping its tin skin and breaking the tail.

The tail remains bandaged in white cloth and red tape, propped up by scaffolding.

“The scaffolding is there to keep the tail from falling on someone,” Helfant said. The damaged skin has to be replaced, and the tail rebuilt from the inside out. “I’d like to make it motorized so it wags, but people from the historical trust might not have the same sense of humor as I do.”

It will cost about $65,000, but insurance will pick up all but the $25,000 deductible.

Most recently, the Save Lucy Committee had to cancel its scheduled Valentine’s Dinner because of problems with the climate-control software that is supposed to adjust every 15 seconds to keep the inside of the elephant heated, cooled and dry.

But with what he called “the antiquated, garbage system,” he couldn’t guarantee it would be warm enough for the couples. Even so, Helfant said the unreliable controller meant the elephant racked up a $1,787 electric bill last month.

But, he said, replacing the controller will cost about $10,000.

The computer controls three electric heat pumps and two 5 kilowatt heaters that keep conditions in the winter at 68 degrees when occupied and 58 when empty.

At about $300 per couple, Helfant said the Save Lucy Committee raised about $5,000 after expenses last year, and with the kinks worked out was on track to raise even more.

Helfant said they would host another event in the summer, when the crowds and more temperate weather would make for a better event.

In all, Helfant said it is not a particularly high repair bill for the 127-year-old landmark, but it comes at a difficult time.

“It’s just the nature of the beast,” he said.

Polar Bear Plunge 2009 participates

By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 |

SEA ISLE CITY – Parents of a Pennsylvania woman who was very drunk when she died on the banks of the city’s marina in February want officials to better control alcohol consumption at the upcoming Polar Bear Plunge weekend.

Elizabeth and Charles Hottenstein addressed City Council on Tuesday night to read a statement regarding the death of their daughter Tracy Hottenstein, a 35-year-old pharmaceutical sales rep from Conshohocken, Pa..

Elizabeth Hottenstein criticized the city and its bars, saying that her daughter was visibly intoxicated but was still served alcohol that night, and that police did not patrol the marina area for the six hours her daughter’s body was on the ground there.

“We know that we most likely cannot stop the 2010 Sea Isle City Polar Bear Plunge,” the mother said. “But we implore you to make it a model of safety so that no other family will ever have to endure this pain. You simply must control and you have a duty to control the overconsumption of alcohol on this weekend.”

Tracy Hottenstein, who was in the city for the weekend but was not involved in the plunge itself, died accidentally of hypothermia from exposure and acute alcohol intoxication, according to the Southern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.

Hottenstein was last seen alive leaving the Ocean Drive Bar and Restaurant on Landis Avenue at 2:15 a.m. on Feb. 15. A passer-by discovered her body on the muddy banks of the Sea Isle City Marina along 42nd Place at 7:50 a.m.

Authorities have said they believe she somehow fell into the water near the marina, got out of the bay and walked in her socks before she fell to the ground. She also had three fractured ribs. She was fully clothed when her body was discovered. Investigators found her pink hat and one her boots in the bay.

“Public safety means that persons who are intoxicated should not be allowed to wander the streets or be so intoxicated that they cannot walk unassisted through the central business (area) of this town,” Elizabeth Hottenstein said.

The city’s Polar Bear Plunge typically brings thousands to Sea Isle City in the middle of February, when the city would otherwise be relatively quiet.

Hottenstein’s parents did not answer questions following their statement to Sea Isle City Council.

After the meeting, Councilman Michael McHale said the city does have plans in place to have better control of the weekend’s activities and said some area bars have beefed up security.

This year’s Polar Bear Plunge is scheduled for Feb. 13.

Avalon Beach Fill Project

By BEN LEACH Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 |

Avalon borough officials are anticipating a smooth ride as they prepare to do another beach-fill project before the start of the busy summer tourist season.

The major beach-fill project, first proposed in October, already is moving forward with the support of the municipalities involved, with state funding.

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, LLC, of Oak Brook, Ill., already has submitted a bid of $10.4 million for the project. The price for transporting sand would be about $8.92 per cubic yard, down from $10.53 per yard in 2008.

“We would recommend that we award this contact as soon as possible and get this firm locked in,” said Tom Thornton, engineer for the borough of Avalon.

Avalon and Sea Isle City are participating in a joint beach-fill project. Avalon is expected to receive about 500,000 cubic yards of sand, while Sea Isle City will get about 700,000 cubic yards. The project would place sand on Avalon from Ninth Street to 26th Street.

While Avalon’s council members expressed their support to move the funding to a bond referendum, “I think it’s imperative that we keep the pressure on the state and the federal government to assist us,” said Charles Covington, borough council president.

Avalon already has a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection and is waiting for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to modify the project so it can move forward.

Even though Avalon’s portion of the funding would only be about $4.5 million under the Great Lakes bid, the town will ask for $5.5 million in the bond referendum, in case it becomes possible to fill the beach with more sand.

“We might get another 100,000 cubic yards or so before they start working,” Thornton said.

A overnight fire destroyed a duplex at 275-277 94th Street in Stone Harbor Wednesday.

From Press staff reports | Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2010

Fire damaged a vacant home in Stone Harbor, Cape May County, late Wednesday night.

The fire was reported at about 11 p.m., in the 200 block of 94th Street, near 3rd Avenue.

No one was injured. There’s no word on a cause or damage estimate.

Atlantic City International Airport, in Egg Harbor Township, receives at least one flight a day from Toronto, Canada.

By DAN GOOD, Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 6, 2010

People flying from Canada to Atlantic City International Airport won’t be able to carry bags with them onto the plane.

And soon to follow: full-body scans.

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority imposed the temporary carry-on measure after a failed Dec. 25 terrorist attack aboard a plain from Amsterdam to Detroit; it includes all flights leaving Canada en route to the United States.  The carry-on ban will affect passengers on West Jet flights, which fly from Toronto to Atlantic City each day.

The Canadian carry-on policy is temporary and does not include personal items such as medical devices, cameras, coats, infant care items, laptop computers, walkers, crutches and canes and musical instruments. Canadian officials said Tuesday that full-body scanners will be introduced in the country’s airports by spring, and the scanners will be used for passengers boarding U.S.-bound flights.

West Jet public relations manager Robert Palmer said, “As for whether the (safety) measures are effective, well, that’s really not a question for the airlines but rather, for the TSA.”

TSA officials denied a request to speak to Atlantic City federal security director Ron Facciponti, instead referring to a statement on TSA’s Web site.

According to the statement, “The new directive includes long-term, sustainable security measures developed in consultation with law enforcement officials and our domestic and international partners.”

President Barack Obama spoke about airline safety Tuesday, calling the incident “a screw-up that could have been disastrous.”

Since the attack, the United States government has added dozens of names to its lists of suspected terrorists and those barred from flights bound for the U.S.

In addition, the United States Transportation Security Administration directed airlines to give full-body, pat-down searches to U.S.-bound travelers from Yemen, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and 11 other countries.

On Sunday, a malfunctioning surveillance system caused a shutdown of Newark Liberty International Airport. The faulty camera made it impossible for TSA personnel to check an image of a man seen walking in through an exit door Sunday evening until it could view tapes from a nearby Continental Airlines surveillance camera.

The incident shut down an entire terminal at the airport and stopped flights for six hours.

South Jersey Transportation Authority spokesperson Sharon Gordon said it would be difficult for a similar incident to happen at Atlantic City International Airport, since the airport is made up of a series of pods.

“You can only access the pods from a sterile area — meaning you can only exit, you can’t enter, and if you tried to get back into a holding area, you would be forced to go back through screening,” Gordon said. “That would not have happened at our airport.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.